U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 96 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 28% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,876.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,329. College Scorecard.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Mechanical Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Mechanical Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,415 | $40,673 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $8,497 | $36,707 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $10,308 | $44,531 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $17,724 | $76,568 | 1.5 years |
| $110k+ | $23,254 | $100,457 | 2.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Mechanical Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($86,238) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $50,441 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Mechanical Engineering at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | $98,277 | $15,334 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | Bradley University | $95,896 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $95,329 | $20,500 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 4 | Illinois Institute of Technology | $87,789 | $27,000 | $18,425 | 75% |
| 5 | University of Illinois Chicago | $87,384 | $21,500 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | $86,999 | $25,000 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $86,238 | $24,250 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $81,428 | $23,110 | $14,889 | 57% |
3 more Illinois colleges offer Mechanical Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Mechanical Engineering graduates
Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +11.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Cost Estimators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,390
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Electrical Engineering$83,853
- Civil Engineering$81,888
- Engineering—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$87,442
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median $86,238 four years after graduating and $69,454 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $24,250, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Illinois?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn $86,238 four years out, $1,348 below the median for the same major across 8 Illinois colleges ($87,586) and $4,952 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rank for Mechanical Engineering in Illinois?
Of 8 Illinois colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 7th. The highest is Northwestern University at $98,277.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $102,680 in Illinois and $104,110 nationally. Others include cost estimators and architectural and engineering managers.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale the right fit for your family?
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).